Story of a Solitary Boat in the Sea of Hate

Author: Yao Xingchu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-08-01
Features: This series of Saturday novels were all written in the 1920s or 1930s and reflect the realities of that era's social romantic novels. The selected authors are representative and renowned, and the chosen novels are influential and iconic works that have had a social impact. Like a mirror of history, readers can not only appreciate the many extraordinary characters and intricate stories of that time but also gain vivid and lifelike insights into the era's social, cultural, economic, and folk history—knowledge that cannot be learned from academic histories. Hanhai Gushou Ji (Record of the Sea of Resentment and the Journey of a Lone Boat) is a classic novel from the Republic of China period. The story is set in Shanghai and takes place during the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. The protagonist, Zhao Qitong, is a young scholar and a leader in literature and poetry. Due to the outbreak of the 1911 Revolution and the turmoil in the capital, he leaves Peking University and is invited to Shanghai to assist in editing the Donghai Daily. From then on, he frequents brothels and taverns, drinking and admiring flowers every day. He falls in love with two women: Huayunxian and Lingshi. First, he falls deeply in love with Huayunxian at first sight, but after she marries and becomes a concubine, he falls for Lingshi even more intensely. He takes a position in the Yunnan Military Governor's Office, and after a painful separation, they lose contact. When he returns to Jiangnan and unexpectedly meets Lingshi in Hangzhou, she has been forced by her mother to marry someone else. They recognize each other across a boat, both heartbroken. Eventually, he gives up his post and abandons his family to seek enlightenment, vanishing without a trace. Lingshi, however, is deceived by her husband and ends up in a brothel in the capital. Unlike typical social romantic novels, this book's characters and plot are heavily based on historical events, with subtle allusions. For example, the "Dong She" in the novel refers to the literary group "Nanshe" of the early Republic of China. Zhuang Chengbo is Sun Yat-sen, Zhang Qiaojiang is Song Jiaoren, Liu Boshen is Liu Shipei, Hu Zhijie is He Zhen, Xie Baishan is Cai E, and Liu Baigong is Yang Du—all of whom are immediately recognizable. Other characters and events in the novel also contain hidden references and implications. Thus, while reading, readers can learn much about the social customs and political affairs of the early Republic of China, gaining a deeper understanding of the era's politics and folk culture.